Feed-water-heating apparatus for boilers



May 27, 1930. E: F. SULLIVAN FEED WATER HEATING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS Filed Nov. 25, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenlar.

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May 27, 1930. E. F. SULLIVAN FEED WATER HEATING APPARATUS FOR BOILERS Filed Nov; 25, 1927 -3 Sheets-$119 61, 3

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, fdward Eda/h var Patented May 27, 1930 ears; r osi EDWARD F. SULLIVAN, OF SOUTH ECRTLAND, MAINE- FEED-WATER-I-IEATIHG APPARATUS FOR BOILERS Application filed November 25, 1927. Serial No. 235,618.

My invention relates to apparatus designed for use in connection with the heatingof the feed-water for boilers,more especially for those of the locomotive type. 5 The general object sought in my invention is the conservation of heat, the loss of which in ordinary locomotive operating practice being a very considerable item in maintenance costs.

A specific object is to utilize, from two sources, heat which otherwise might be and usually is wasted. One source of this heat is found in the exhaust steam from the engine cylinders and the other in the intensely hot air and gas within the smoke-box of the boiler.

For the purpose of accomplishing the foregoing object I provide three feed-water heating units, operating in seriesythe first unit gives the water a preliminary heating by subjecting it to the heat of the engine exhaust steam and thereafter by passing through the duplex hot gas heated units the water receives an intermediate and then a. final rise in its temperature just previous to its entering the boiler. This gradual and progressive heating of the water-eliminatesmore or less trouble due to expansion and contraction of the heating units.

Another object concerns the allocation of the gas-heated units, which, on account of the factthat the smoke-boxconta-ins so manyother devices that available space is limited,

are placed exteriorly thereof, with proper provision for the entrance of the hot air and gas to the heating units. Another advantage in making the gas-heated portion of the apparatus in two units, one on each side of the smoke-box, is that itprovides for better balan e with respect to the weight on the locomotive-and furthermore, increases the heat-' ing surface in the units to the greatest extent possible. 7 i

Another object, the attainment of which is madepossible by locating the gas-heated units outside the smoke boX, is the facilitywith which these units may be gotten at or dissembled for the purpose of cleaning or making repairs.

And a still further object resides in providing a damper by means of which the hot air and gases may be temporarily excluded from the space Within the duplex units.

Other objects will be apparent from reading the description found hereinafter in the specification; and in the drawings acco1npanying and made a part of this application and in which like characters of reference indicatelike parts in all the different views,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a locomotive showing a portion of my feed-water heating apparatus,the view being on the right side; v

F 2 is a fragmentary view f the left side showing other elements in the heating device; 1

' Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Fig. i is a half end elevation of the left side of the locomotive and heater parts combined with a transverse sectional elevation of the right side taken on line 41%, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the exhaust steam heated unit with certain portions broken away; i V

Fig- 6 is a transverse section of the same taken on line 66,Fig. 5;

- Fig. 7 is'a longitudinal sectional elevation of the as-heated unit, taken on line 7+7, Fig. i;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the damper, damper casing and screen for the gas-heated units; 7

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, sectional plan of the same, taken on line 9-9, 8;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, transverse sectional elevation of the same taken on line 101Q, Fig. 8;

Figfil is a longitudinal sectional plan of one ofthe gas-heated units, section being taken on linell-ll, Fig. 1, and V 'Fig. 12 is a detail showing a preferred I method of securing'the water tubes'in the headers of the steam-heated units. 7

Referring to thedrawings, 1 represents the boiler ofa locomotive, 2. the smoke-box, 3 an engine cylinder, and 4 the feed-pump, which,

. thoughshownas a rotary, may be one of any of the conventional reciprocating piston type; I

Positioned forwardly and .on each side of All tubes the smoke-box are the three feed-water heating units, comprising, collectively one heating system. The exhaust steam heater, A, is preferably located forwardly of the smokebox and above the smoke-box door, one of the gas-heated units, B, is on the left side and the unit C on the right side thereof.

The heater A is preferably made in the form of a drum 5 and is secured to the end of the smoke-box by brackets 5. It is provided with a cover 6 carrying an exhaust steam inlet flanged connection 7 and also with acover 8 on which is a'cond'ensate flanged connection 9. \Vithin the drum 1 are two headers 10, one making connection with the water inlet at 11 and the other with the outlet connection at 12.

Secured in each header and water extending from one to the other thereof are a plurality 3 of water coils 13. The feed water is forced by the pump 4 through the feed line pipe 14 on which is the check valve 15, into one of the headers at the connection 11, through the coils 13 into the other header 10 and thence out of the dischargeopening at 12.

Making connection with the exhaust steam ports of the cylinders at 16, the pipe 17 extends upwardly and is secured to the flanged union 7 on the cover 6.

From the flanged connection at 9 and running rearwardly is the condensate pipe 18 which normally delivers the condensed steam in the drum 5 to the trap 19 and thence to the suction line 20. Should trouble arise with the trap 19, the valves 21 and 22 may be operated so as to by-pass the condensate to the tank in the tender 23 through the pipe line 24. On each side of the smoke-box 2 (see Fig. 1) I cut out a considerable section and secure '1 within each opening thus made a flanged damper casing 25. This casing may be secured in any suitable manner but I preferably electric weld it to the smoke-box shell.

On the arcuate wall of the casings are cut a -;pl ura'lity of upstanding slots 26, the bars 26" therebetween being of the same width as the slots. Operable in close adjacency to the wall of the casings are dampers 27 with slots registering with and of the same size as the casing slot-s. Any suitable means may be provided to hold the dampers from displacemen-t from the casings,as the angle pieces 28, and to render the moron-lent of the dampers hackwardly and forwardly less difficult there is provided the roller bearings 29.

A screen- 30 prevents large ci-nders passing through the damper openings." An arm 27' provides actuating nreans for the damper.

Extending into the depressed space in each of the dampercasings and secured therein is one of the two gas-heated units B and G, each comprising in its structure two multi-partitioned manifolds 31 interconnected with a plurality of banks of arcuately formed water 32, with covers 33 and partitions 34 serving to provide a plurality of chambers each of which is arranged to receive two banks of tubes, through one of which the water enters the chamber and through the other of which it passes therefrom.

A bank of these tubes is shown in Fig. 4 and the direction of flow of the water is illus trated in Fig. 7.

Enclosing the heating units B and C on their outer sides are the casings 35, which make air tight joints with the smoke-box to which they are attached.

Referring to Fig. 3, a pipe 36 connects the discharge opening 12in unit A with the intake opening 37 in unit B. From the discharge connection 38 in unit B a pipe 39 passes to the intake opening 40 in unit C, and from discharge openingl in unit 0 the feed water passes through the pipe 12 and the check-valve 1 3 into the boiler.

My feed-water heater operates as follows:

The feed pump 4 draws water through the pipe and hose line 20 from the tender tank and from the trap, through the line 20' and forces it through the line 14, passing the check valve '15, into the heaterunit A where its temperature is initially raised by theexhau'st steam from the engine cylinders. The water discharging from unit A enters unit B where its temperature is further raised by the hot air and gas from the smoke-box and passing from thislatter unit enters unit C where a final raising of its temperature takes place before its passes directly into the boiler through the check-valve 43.

That portion of the exhaust steam from the engine cylinders which passes to heating unit A is condensed and the condensate, which is hot water, is returned to the boiler by way of the pipe 18,,trap 19 and through the pump 1 lwh-ichforoe-s it together with other water from thetender tank, through the entire water-heating system. In 'casethe occasion requires that the condensate by-pass should be used, the Valve 22 is opened, the valve -21 closed, and then the condensate will flow to the tender tank direct.

This condensate water greatly increases the available water supply on the locomotive, or in other words, it has the effect ofenlarging the water tank capacity.

On certain occasions, as for instance when the locomotive is being fired for a run, the heat in the smoke-box becomes 7 intense enough to evaporate substantially all of the water in the heating coils of units B and C.

Duringthis period of getting up steam an that the tubesare filled with steam, and cold water from the tank is passed through them by-the pump, sudden contraction of the tubes directly from said smoke-box is likely to start leaks and possibly otherwise injure them. The function of the damper is to forestall this difficulty by temporarily closing it and excluding the hot air and gas from the space surrounding the tubes until the proper time comes to start the pump into action,-at which time the damper is opened. Operated in this manner the coils will always be filled with water and sudden expansion and contraction is eliminated.

It is obvious that by properly covering the water-heating units, A, B and C, as well as the pipes and connections used in the heating system with some non-heat-conducting material, greater efficiency and economy in oper ation will result.

It is to be understood. also, that the flow of feed-water from unit A may be directed to unit C and thence to unit B, instead of as shown and describel; it would be necessary however, or at least desirable to change the position of the boiler check-valve 4:3 to the left side ofthe locomotive.

In any event, the water will enter the boiler from the unit in which it hasbeen raised to the highest temperature.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. In feed-water heating apparatus adapted for use on locomotives, comprising in combination with the smoke-box therefor, an aperture cut in the side Wall of said smokebox, a multitubular Water heater disposed within said aperture, a section of a casing within said smoke-box, coextensive in length and breadth with said aperture and adapted to partially enclose the space within which is located said water heater, slots in the Wall of said section of a casing adapted to provide means for the admission of hot gases into the space immediately surrounding said water heater, an outer section of a casing adapted to complete the enclosing of said water heater within the before mentioned space, means to wholly exclude the hot gases from said smoke-box from said heater space, means operable to supply feed water to said heater, and means for conveying the water from the heater to the boiler.

2. In feed-water heating apparatus for use on locomotives, comprising in combination with the smo :e-box therefor, an aperture in each side of said smoke-box, a multitubular feed-water heater disposed in each of said apertures, a casing surrounding each of said water-heaters, means to admit hot gases from said smoke-box into the interior of said casing, means to entirely close access of said gases to the interior of said casing, a pipe connecting said heaters and adapted to convey feed water from one to the other of said water-heaters, means for supplying water to one of said water-heaters, and means to conduct the Water from the other of said Waterheaters to the boiler.

3. In feed-water heating apparatus adapted for use on locomotives, comprising in combination with the smoke-box therefor, a water-heater located on said locomotive, means for conducting exhaust steam from the cylinders of said locomotive to the said Waterheater, a pipe line to convey condensate from the steam space in said heater to the boiler feeding element for said locomotive, an aperture cut in the side wall of said smoke-boX, a second water-heater disposed'in said aperture, a casing surrounding said second mentioned Water-heater, slots in the inner Wall of said casing through which hot gases from said smoke-box may pass, means to control the admission of the hot gases through said slots to the interior of said casing, whereby they may be free to enter or may be entirely excluded, means to convey feed-water to said first mentioned heater, a pipe through which the feed-Water may pass from the first to the second mentioned heater, and means to convey the feed-water from the second mentioned heater to the boiler.

In testimony whereof I'afiix my signature.

EDWARD F. SULLIVAN. 

